Unique identifier assignment method for use in wireless communication system

ABSTRACT

A CEC controller of a wireless node device determines a destination logical address of a polling message received through a wired interface circuit based on an address list table in an address list memory when the polling message is received from a wired interface circuit, and transmits an ACK for the received polling message through the wired interface circuit in the case that the destination logical address of the polling message is a logical address of a node device connected over a wireless interval.

This is a Rule 1.53(b) Divisional of application Ser. No. 12/301,523,which is the National Stage of International Application No.PCT/JP2007/060381, filed May 21, 2007.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a logical address assignment method bywhich, even when devices conforming to HDMI standard are connected overwireless intervals, logical addresses of HDMI can be assigned to thedevices, and relates to a wireless communication device that performssuch a logical address assignment.

BACKGROUND ART

According to some of the prior art methods of logical address assignmentof HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), logical addresses areassigned via wired connections. The standard of HDMI is established inNon-Patent Document 1. According to HDMI, the logical addresses are usedfor identifying respective devices, thus transmitting control signalsamong the devices and enabling the devices to control each other (e.g.,See Patent Document 1).

A logical address assignment method will be described which is used inthe case that a plurality of devices conforming to HDMI standard areconnected by wire using HDMI cables. Logical addresses represents 16values ranging from 0 to F in hexadecimal, and each is associated with atype of a device. For example, when the device is a TV, it isrepresented by 0; when the device is a DVD player, it is represented by4 or 8; and when the device is a Set Top Box (STB), it is represented by3, 6, or 7.

At first, a physical address 0.0.0.0 is set in advance for a Sink device(e.g., a TV, projector, etc.). When the Sink device has a plurality ofHDMI input ports, a physical address for a device to be connected toeach input port is stored in a physical address carrying field of EDID(Extended Display Identification Data) which is provided in associationwith each port. The stored physical address is configured based on thephysical address of the device itself, and a port number. For example,1.0.0.0 is stored in a physical address carrying field of EDIDassociated with an input port with port number 1 of the Sink device, and2.0.0.0 is stored in a physical address carrying field of EDIDassociated with an input port with port number 2. Once s Source device(e.g., a DVD player, STB, etc.) is connected to an input port of theSink device, the Source device detects an HPD (Hot Plug Detect) signalindicating the connection. When the Source device detects the HPDsignal, the Source device reads a physical address carrying field ofEDID of the Sink device using DDC (Display Data Channel), and sets theread physical address as a physical address of the Source device itself.After setting the physical address, the Source device starts assigning alogical address to the Source device itself.

The Source device firstly selects one logical address from logicaladdresses associated with the type of the Source device itself. TheSource device outputs a polling message destined for the selectedlogical address onto a CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) bus. Eachdevice receiving the polling message returns an ACK when the destinationlogical address of the polling message is a logical address of thedevice itself. When any ACK for the polling message is not returned onthe CEC bus, the Source device determines to use the selected logicaladdress. On the other hand, when an ACK for the polling message isreturned, the Source device determines that the destination logicaladdress of the polling message has been already assigned to anotherdevice, and thus selects another logical address associated with thetype of the Source device itself. The Source device outputs a pollingmessage destined for the selected logical address onto the CEC bus, andwhen any ACK is not returned, the Source device determines to use theselected logical address. When an ACK is returned again, the Sourcedevice selects a different logical address and outputs a polling messagein a similar manner.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent laid-open Publication No.2004-208290.

Non-Patent Document 1: High-Definition Multimedia InterfaceSpecification, Version 1.1, HDMI Licensing, LLC, Calif. in U.S.A., May20, 2004.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, under circumstances where devices are connected over wirelessintervals, even when an ACK for a polling message transmitted from acertain device is returned by a device having a destination logicaladdress of the polling message, the device that transmitted the pollingmessage cannot receive the ACK within a predetermined period of time.Hence, since the device that transmitted the polling message has notreceived any ACK, it determines that the destination logical address ofthe polling message has not been used, and thus uses the logical addressas an address of the device itself. As such, under circumstances wherewireless intervals are interposed between devices, there is a problemthat logical addresses cannot be assigned without conflict.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-describedproblems, and to provide a logical address assignment method by which,even when devices conforming to HDMI standard are connected overwireless intervals, logical addresses can be assigned to the deviceswithout conflict, and to provide a wireless communication device thatperforms such a logical address assignment.

Means for Solving the Problem

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a logicaladdress assignment method is provided, for use in a wirelesscommunication system that includes a plurality of node devices includingat least two wireless communication devices and each transmitting andreceiving CEC messages of HDMI, each of the at least two wirelesscommunication devices is provided with a wired interface, a wirelessinterface, and address list storage means. The logical addressassignment method includes steps of: by each of the wirelesscommunication devices, storing logical addresses of node devicesconnected through the wired interface and logical addresses of nodedevices connected through the wireless interface, in the address liststorage means; and by one of the at least two wireless communicationdevices, determining a destination logical address of a polling messagereceived through the wired interface based on contents of the addresslist storage means when the polling message is received through thewired interface, and transmitting an ACK signal for the received pollingmessage through the wired interface in the case that the destinationlogical address of the polling message is a logical address of a nodedevice connected through the wireless interface.

In the logical address assignment method, the step of storing thelogical addresses includes steps of, by one of the at least two wirelesscommunication devices: adding a logical address of a node device newlyconnected to the wired interface, to the address list storage means;checking periodically connections of the node devices which areconnected to the one wireless communication device through the wiredinterface and whose logical addresses are stored in the address liststorage means; and deleting a logical address of a node device from theaddress list storage means, where said node device is determined to bedisconnected from the one wireless communication device, as a result ofchecking the connections.

Moreover, in the logical address assignment method, the step of checkingperiodically the connections includes checking the connections bypolling messages.

Further, in the logical address assignment method, each of the addresslist storage means further stores flags each indicating whether or noteach of the node devices corresponding to the logical addresses storedin the address list storage means is connected through the wiredinterface to the wireless communication device provided with the addresslist storage means.

Furthermore, in the logical address assignment method, each of theaddress list storage means further contains physical addresses of thenode devices corresponding to the logical addresses stored in theaddress list storage means.

Moreover, in the logical address assignment method, the step of storingthe logical addresses includes steps of, by one of the at least twowireless communication devices: referring to the physical addresses inthe address list storage means when a node device connected through thewired interface has been disconnected, and determining that a lower nodedevice connected in a lower layer than that of the disconnected nodedevice has also been disconnected in the case that there is the lowernode device; and deleting from the address list storage means, thelogical address of each of the node devices which is determined to bedisconnected from the one wireless communication device.

Further, in the logical address assignment method, the wirelesscommunication system further includes address management means formanaging wireless addresses for the respective node devices. The step ofstoring the logical addresses includes a step of obtaining wirelessaddresses from the address management means, where each of the wirelessaddresses is for each of the node devices connected to the wirelesscommunication device through the wired interface, and storing each ofthe wireless addresses in the address list storage means in associationwith the logical address of the corresponding node device.

Furthermore, in the logical address assignment method, each of the wiredinterfaces includes a 5V signal line of HDMI. The step of storing thelogical addresses includes steps of, by one of the at least two wirelesscommunication devices: determining whether or not a node device has beendisconnected from the one wireless communication device based on avoltage value of the 5V signal line, where said node device is connectedto the one wireless communication device through the wired interface andwhose logical address is stored in the address list storage means; anddeleting from the address list storage means, the logical address of thenode device deter mined to be disconnected from the one wirelesscommunication device.

Moreover, the logical address assignment method further includes a stepof: by one of the at least two wireless communication devices, receivinga specific message, and adding an originating logical address containedin the received message to the address list storage means of the onewireless communication device.

Further, in the logical address assignment method, the specific messageis a Report Physical Address message.

Furthermore, the logical address assignment method further includes astep of: by one of the at least two wireless communication devices,receiving the Report Physical Address message, and adding an originatinglogical address and a physical address which are contained in thereceived message, to the address list storage means of the one wirelesscommunication device, such that the originating logical address and thephysical address are associated with each other.

Moreover, the logical address assignment method further includes stepsof, by one of the at least two wireless communication devices:transmitting a list exchange message to the other wireless communicationdevice through the wireless interface when the contents stored in theaddress list storage means are changed, where said list exchange messageindicates changes in the address list storage means; and adding ordeleting a logical address of a node device connected through thewireless interface according to a list exchange message indicatingchanges in address list storage means of the other wirelesscommunication device, when the list exchange message indicating thechanges is received from the other wireless communication device.

Further, in the logical address assignment method, the list exchangemessage contains at least a portion of the contents of the address liststorage means.

Furthermore, in the logical address assignment method, each of thewireless communication devices transmits the list exchange message eachtime the address list storage means of the wireless communication deviceis changed.

Moreover, in the logical address assignment method, the list exchangemessage contains at least the logical address that is newly added to ordeleted from the address list storage means, and a bit indicating theaddition or deletion of the logical address.

Further, in the logical address assignment method, the list exchangemessage contains information on all the node devices stored in theaddress list storage means.

Furthermore, the logical address assignment method further includes astep of selecting a logical address of a wireless communication deviceitself from among logical addresses not present in the address liststorage means of the wireless communication device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a wirelesscommunication device for assigning logical addresses is provided, foruse in a wireless communication system that includes a plurality of nodedevices including at least two wireless communication devices and eachtransmitting and receiving CEC messages of HDMI. Each of the wirelesscommunication devices is provided with: a wired interface; a wirelessinterface; address list storage means for storing logical addresses ofnode devices connected through the wired interface and logical addressesof node devices connected through the wireless interface; and controlmeans for controlling transmission and reception through the wiredinterface and the wireless interface based on contents of the addresslist storage means. When one of the at least two wireless communicationdevices receives a polling message from the wired interface, the controlmeans determines a destination logical address of the polling messagebased on contents of the address list storage means, and transmits anACK signal for the received polling message through the wired interfacein the case that the destination logical address of the polling messageis a logical address of a node device connected through the wirelessinterface.

In one of the at least two wireless communication devices, the controlmeans: adds a logical address of a node device newly connected to thewired interface, to the address list storage means; checks periodicallyconnections of the node devices which are connected to the wirelesscommunication device through the wired interface and whose logicaladdresses are stored in the address list storage means; and deletes alogical address of a node device from the address list storage means,where said node device is determined to be disconnected from thewireless communication device, as a result of checking the connections.

Moreover, in the wireless communication device, checking periodicallythe connections includes checking the connections by polling messages.

Further, in the wireless communication device, each of the address liststorage means further stores flags each indicating whether or not eachof the node devices corresponding to the logical addresses stored in theaddress list storage means is connected through the wired interface tothe wireless communication device provided with the address list storagemeans.

Furthermore, in the wireless communication device, each of the addresslist storage means further contains physical addresses of the nodedevices corresponding to the logical addresses stored in the addresslist storage means.

Moreover, in one of the at least two wireless communication devices, thecontrol means: refers to the physical addresses in the address liststorage means when a node device connected through the wired interfacehas been disconnected, and determines that a lower node device connectedin a lower layer than that of the disconnected node device has also beendisconnected in the case that there is the lower node device; anddeletes from the address list storage means, the logical address of eachof the node devices which is determined to be disconnected from thewireless communication device.

Further, the wireless communication system further includes addressmanagement means for managing wireless addresses for the respective nodedevices. The control means obtains wireless addresses from the addressmanagement means, where each of the wireless addresses is for each ofthe node devices connected to the wireless communication device throughthe wired interface, and stores each of the wireless addresses in theaddress list storage means in association with the logical address ofthe corresponding node device.

Furthermore, in the wireless communication device, the wired interfaceincludes a 5V signal line of HDMI. In one of the at least two wirelesscommunication devices, the control means: determines whether or not anode device has been disconnected from the wireless communication devicebased on a voltage value of the 5V signal line, where said node deviceis connected to the wireless communication device through the wiredinterface and whose logical address is stored in the address liststorage means; and deletes from the address list storage means, thelogical address of the node device determined to be disconnected fromthe wireless communication device.

Moreover, when one of the at least two wireless communication devicesreceives a specific message, the control means of the wirelesscommunication device adds an originating logical address contained inthe received message to the address list storage means of the wirelesscommunication device.

Further, in the wireless communication device, the specific message is aReport Physical Address message.

Furthermore, when one of the at least two wireless communication devicesreceives the Report Physical Address message, the control means of thewireless communication device adds an originating logical address and aphysical address which are contained in the received message, to theaddress list storage means of the wireless communication device, suchthat the originating logical address and the physical address areassociated with each other.

Moreover, in one of the at least two wireless communication devices:when the contents stored in the address list storage means are changed,the control means transmits a list exchange message to the otherwireless communication device through the wireless interface, the listexchange message indicating changes in the address list storage means.When a list exchange message indicating changes in address list storagemeans of the other wireless communication device is received from theother wireless communication device, the control means adds or deletes alogical address of a node device connected through the wirelessinterface according to the changes indicated in the received listexchange message.

Further, in the wireless communication device, the list exchange messagecontains at least a portion of the contents of the address list storagemeans.

Furthermore, in the wireless communication device, each of the wirelesscommunication devices transmits the list exchange message each time theaddress list storage means of the wireless communication device ischanged.

Moreover, in the wireless communication device, the list exchangemessage contains at least the logical address that is newly added to ordeleted from the address list storage means, and a bit indicating theaddition or deletion of the logical address.

Further, in the wireless communication device, the list exchange messagecontains information on all the node devices stored in the address liststorage means.

Furthermore, in one of the at least two wireless communication devices,the control means selects a logical address of the wirelesscommunication device itself from among logical addresses not present inthe address list storage means of the wireless communication device.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

Hence, according to the logical address assignment method and wirelesscommunication device according to the present invention, even whendevices conforming to HDMI standard are connected to each other over theair, it is possible to assign logical addresses to the respectivedevices without conflict, and therefore, control the devices by usingCEC messages, thus improving user convenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary configuration of awireless communication system according to a first preferred embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing detailed configurations of a wirelessnode device 10 and a wired node device 60 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing detailed configurations of a wirelessnode device 20 and wired node devices 30, 40, and 70 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a wirelessnode device 50 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a node device connection detecting processperformed by a CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 of FIG.3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a polling process for checking connectionsamong node devices, performed by the CEC controller 21A of the wirelessnode device 20 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an address list table updating processperformed by the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a proxy responding process performed bythe CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an exemplary format of an address list table1 stored in an address list memory 21B of the wireless node device 20 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an exemplary format of a list exchangemessage of FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another exemplary format of the listexchange message of FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a first part of an exemplaryoperation of the wireless communication system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a second part of the exemplaryoperation of the wireless communication system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a third part of the exemplaryoperation of the wireless communication system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a node device disconnection detectingprocess performed by the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device20 of FIG. 3, according to a second preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an exemplary format of an address listtable stored in the address list memory 21B of the wireless node device20 of FIG. 3, according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   10, 20, and 50 . . . wireless node device    -   30, 40, 60, and 70 . . . wired node device    -   11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71 . . . controller    -   11A, 21A, 31A, 41A, 51A, 61A, and 71A CEC controller    -   11B, 21B, 31B, 41B, 51B, 61B, and 71B . . . address list memory    -   11C . . . address management controller    -   12, 24, and 54 . . . wireless transceiver circuit    -   12A, 24A, and 54A . . . transmission data memory    -   13, 23, and 33 . . . video and audio processing circuit    -   14, 22, 32, 43, 52, 63, and 73 . . . wired interface circuit    -   15 . . . display    -   16 . . . speaker    -   17, 25, and 55 . . . antenna    -   42, 53, 62, and 72 . . . video and audio player    -   81, 82, 83, and 84 . . . HDMI cable    -   101 . . . identifier field    -   102 . . . logical address field    -   103 . . . flag field    -   104 . . . physical address field    -   201 . . . number-of-devices field    -   202 a to 202 n . . . A-bit    -   302 a to 303 n . . . D-bit    -   204 a to 204 n . . . address field    -   205 a to 205 n . . . identifier field

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described belowwith reference to the drawings.

First Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary configuration of awireless communication system according to a first preferred embodimentof the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are block diagrams showingdetailed configurations of wireless node devices 10, 20, and 50 andwired node devices 30, 40, 70, and 60 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 to4, the wired node devices 30, 40, 70, and 60 are configured as a deviceeach provided with only a conventional HDMI wired interface, and thewireless node devices 10, 20, and 50 are configured as a device eachprovided with a wireless interface and a conventional HDMI wiredinterface. The wireless node device 20 is connected to the wired nodedevice 30 through an HDMI cable 81, the wireless node device 20 isconnected to the wired node device 40 through an HDMI cable 82, thewired node devices 30 is connected to the wired node devices 70 throughan HDMI cable 83, and the wireless node device 10 is connected to thewired node device 60 through an HDMI cable 84. These devices transmitdata to each other using their wired interfaces. In addition, thewireless node devices 10, 20, and 50 transmit data to each other usingtheir wireless interfaces over wireless intervals.

Referring to FIG. 2, the wireless node device 10 includes: a wirelesstransceiver circuit 12 connected to an antenna 17 and serving as awireless interface that performs processes such astransmission/reception and modulation/demodulation of radio signals; avideo and audio processing circuit 13 for processing content informationtransmitted from other node devices, for playback; a wired interfacecircuit 14 having an HDMI input port; and a controller 11 forcontrolling the wireless transceiver circuit 12, the video and audioprocessing circuit 13, and the wired interface circuit 14. A display 15and a speaker 16 are connected to the video and audio processing circuit13. In addition, the controller 11 includes a CEC controller 11A forcontrolling transmission and reception of CEC messages, and an addressmanagement controller 11C for assigning an address to each of all thenode devices in the wireless communication system, for transmission overthe wireless intervals. The CEC controller 11A is connected with anaddress list memory 11B storing an address list table which contains thelogical addresses of the respective devices in the system and containsinformation required for transmission over the wireless intervals. Thewireless transceiver circuit 12 includes a transmission data memory 12Afor buffering data to be transmitted over the air and storing the datafor retransmission.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the wired node device 60 includes: a videoand audio player 62 that is a tuner, or that reads out contentinformation from a recording medium such as a DVD; a wired interfacecircuit 63 having an HDMI output port; and a controller 61 forcontrolling the video and audio player 62 and the wired interfacecircuit 63. The output port of the wired interface circuit 63 isconnected to the input port of the wired interface circuit 14 of thewireless node device 10 through the HDMI cable 84, and thus, the wirednode device 60 operates as a Source device and the wireless node device10 operates as a Sink device. The controller 61 includes a CECcontroller 61A for controlling transmission and reception of CECmessages. The CEC controller 61A is connected with an address listmemory 61B for storing an address list table which contains the logicaladdresses of the respective devices in the system. Referring to FIG. 3,the wireless node device 20 includes: a wired interface circuit 22having HDMI input ports; a video and audio processing circuit 23 forrecording of content information or performing other processes; awireless transceiver circuit 24 connected to an antenna 25 and servingas a wireless interface that performs processes such astransmission/reception and modulation/demodulation of radio signals; anda controller 21 for controlling the wired interface circuit 22, thevideo and audio processing circuit 23, and the wireless transceivercircuit 24. The wired interface circuit 22 may further have an HDMIoutput port. In addition, the controller 21 includes a CEC controller21A for controlling transmission and reception of CEC messages. The CECcontroller 21A is connected with an address list memory 21B for storingan address list table which contains the logical addresses of therespective devices in the system and contains information required fortransmission over wireless intervals. The wireless transceiver circuit24 includes a transmission data memory 24A for buffering data to betransmitted over the air and storing the data for retransmission.

Referring to FIG. 3 again, the wired node device 30 includes: a wiredinterface circuit 32 having HDMI input and output ports; a video andaudio processing circuit 33 for recording of content information orperforming other processes; and a controller 31 for controlling thewired interface circuit 32 and the video and audio processing circuit33. The output port of the wired interface circuit 32 is connected tothe input port of the wired interface circuit 22 of the wireless nodedevice 20 through the HDMI cable 81, and thus, the wired node device 30operates as a Source device and the wireless node device 20 operates asa Sink device. In addition, the controller 31 includes a CEC controller31A for controlling transmission and reception of CEC messages. The CECcontroller 31A is connected with an address list memory 21B for storingan address list table which contains the logical addresses of therespective devices in the system.

Referring to FIG. 3 again, the wired node device 40 includes: a videoand audio player 42 that is a tuner, or that reads out contentinformation from a recording medium such as a DVD; a wired interfacecircuit 43 having an HDMI output port; and a controller 41 forcontrolling the video and audio player 42 and the wired interfacecircuit 43. The output port of the wired interface circuit 43 isconnected to the input port of the wired interface circuit 22 of thewireless node device 20 through the HDMI cable 82, and thus, the wirednode device 40 operates as a Source device and the wireless node device20 operates as a Sink device. The controller 41 includes a CECcontroller 41A for controlling transmission and reception of CECmessages. The CEC controller 41A is connected with an address listmemory 41B for storing an address list table which contains the logicaladdresses of the respective devices in the system.

Referring to FIG. 3 again, the wired node device 70 includes: a videoand audio player 72 that is a tuner, or that reads out contentinformation from a recording medium such as a DVD; a wired interfacecircuit 73 having an HDMI output port; and a controller 71 forcontrolling the video and audio player 72 and the wired interfacecircuit 73. The output port of the wired interface circuit 73 isconnected to the input port of the wired interface circuit 32 of thewired node device 30 through the HDMI cable 83, and thus, the wired nodedevice 70 operates as a Source device and the wired node device 30operates as a Sink device. The controller 71 includes a CEC controller71A for controlling transmission and reception of CEC messages. The CECcontroller 71A is connected with an address list memory 71B for storingan address list table which contains the logical addresses of therespective devices in the system.

Referring to FIG. 4, the wireless node device 50 includes: a wiredinterface circuit 52 having HDMI input and output ports; a video andaudio player 53 that is a tuner, or that reads out content informationfrom a recording medium such as a DVD; a wireless transceiver circuit 54connected to an antenna 55 and serving as a wireless interface thatperforms processes such as transmission/reception andmodulation/demodulation of radio signals; and a controller 51 forcontrolling the wired interface circuit 52, the video and audio player53, and the wireless transceiver circuit 54. The wired interface circuit52 may be optionally omitted. The controller 51 includes a CECcontroller 51A for controlling transmission and reception of CECmessages. The CEC controller 51A is connected with an address listmemory 51B for storing an address list table which contains the logicaladdresses of the respective devices in the system and containsinformation required for transmission over wireless intervals. Thewireless transceiver circuit 54 includes a transmission data memory 54Afor buffering data to be transmitted over the air and storing the datafor retransmission.

The CEC controllers 11A, 21A, and 51A of the respective wireless nodedevices 10, 20, and 50 mainly perform the following processes.

(1) Process of checking whether or not other node devices are connectedin a CEC bus (i.e., connected by wire through HDMI cables).

(2) Process of adding and deleting logical addresses to/from therespective address list tables in the address list memories 11B, 21B,and 51B.

(3) Process of making a proxy response to a polling message from anothernode device connected by wire through HDMI cables.

(4) Process of exchanging the address list tables among the wirelessnode devices 10, 20, and 50.

Each of the wireless transceiver circuits 12, 24, and 54 includes aradio frequency circuit, a baseband processing circuit, a medium accesscontrol circuit, etc., and can use arbitrary wireless transmissionscheme; its further explanation is omitted in the present embodiment.For example, it is possible to use a wireless transmission schemedefined in IEEE 802.11 using radio wave in 2.4 GHz band or 5 GHz band,or a wireless transmission scheme using radio wave in millimeter waveband.

With reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 8, processes performed by theCEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 of FIG. 3 will bedescribed below.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a node device connection detecting processperformed by the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20. Thisprocess is performed to detect another node device connected by wire tothe wireless node device 20. In step S1 of FIG. 5, the CEC controller21A receives a Report Physical Address message through the wiredinterface circuit 22. The Report Physical Address message refers to amessage defined in HDMI, which is used when a certain node devicenotifies the other node devices of an association between the physicaladdress and logical address for the node device (See Non-Patent Document1). Once a Report Physical Address message is received in step S1, thenin step S2, the CEC controller 21A refers to the address list table inthe address list memory 213, and determines whether or not anoriginating logical address of the received Report Physical Addressmessage has already been stored in the address list table; if NO thenthe process proceeds to step S3, and if YES then the process ends. Instep S3, the CEC controller 21A adds a logical address, which has beenset in the originating logical address of the Report Physical Addressmessage, to the address list table in the address list memory 21B, andsets a flag in an item for a node device corresponding to the logicaladdress such that the flag is set to 1. This flag is to indicate whethereach node device in the address list table is connected to the wirelessnode device 20 by wire (flag value=1) or over a wireless interval (flagvalue=0). In this case, a flag value of the wireless node device 20itself is 1. The flag value=1, as well as a logical address of thewireless node device 20 itself are stored in the address list table,prior to the process of FIG. 5.

Then in step S4, the CEC controller 21A obtains a wireless addressserving as an identifier for transmission over wireless intervals, fromthe address management controller 11C of the wireless node device 10.The address management controller 11C of the wireless node device 10performs an address managing process by which a wireless address fortransmission over wireless intervals is assigned to each of all the nodedevices (regardless of whether the device is wired or wireless) in thewireless communication system. The wireless addresses to be assignedare, for example, MAC addresses, or device IDs for uniquely identifyingeach device and with fewer bits than that of the MAC addresses, etc.,and alternatively, any device identifiers can be used as long as one canuniquely identify each node device. In the address management process,each node device performs an authentication process with the addressmanagement controller 11C when joining the wireless communicationsystem, and after completion of the authentication process, a wirelessaddress is assigned to each node device. In the present embodiment, theCEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 obtains a wirelessaddress for the wireless node device 20 from the address managementcontroller 11C, and in step S4 of FIG. 5, obtains a wireless address forthe wired node device 10 connected by wire to the wireless node device20, from the address management controller 11C, by performing anauthenticating process with the address management controller 11C onbehalf of the wired node device 10, and then, the CEC controller 21Astores the wireless addresses, as identifiers, in the address list tablein the address list memory 21B.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an exemplary format of the address listtable in the address list memory 21B. Referring to FIG. 9, an identifierfield 101 is a field for storing wireless addresses used for identifyingeach node device over wireless intervals, a logical address field 102 isa field for storing logical addresses each set in an originating logicaladdress of a Report Physical Address message, and a flag field 103 is afield for storing a flag indicating whether or not each node device inthe address list table is connected by wire to the wireless node device20. The address list table may contain other fields than those listed inthe present embodiment. Moreover, different formats may be used as longas the same operational effects are provided.

After performing steps S3 and S4, the CEC controller 21A transmits, instep S5, a list exchange message containing contents of the address listtable (the entire table, or changed portions thereof) to the otherwireless node devices 10 and 50 through the wireless transceiver circuit24.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an exemplary format of the list exchangemessage. Referring to FIG. 10, a number-of-devices field 201 is a fieldfor setting the number of node devices whose logical addresses have beenchanged (i.e., added or deleted), A-bit fields 202 a to 202 n are afield each indicating addition of a logical address, D-bit fields 203 ato 203 n are a field each indicating deletion of a logical address,address fields 204 a to 204 n are a field each indicating a logicaladdress to be deleted or added, and identifier fields 205 a to 205 n area field each indicating an identifier (wireless address) associated witha logical address contained in each of the address fields 204 a to 204n. Values to be contained in these fields are determined based onchanged portions of the address list table in the address list memory21B, resulting from addition of an address in step S3 of FIG. 5 and/ordeletion of an address according to a process of FIG. 6 (describedlater). The number of items for the respective node devices contained inthe list exchange message (each item corresponds to a set of an A-bitfield, a D-bit field, an address field, and an identifier field) is thesame as the number which is set in the number-of-devices field 201. Inaddition to these fields, the list exchange message is provided with aMAC header etc., which is omitted for ease of explanation.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another exemplary format of the listexchange message. Referring to FIG. 11, this format is used whenexchanging not only changed logical addresses, but exchanging alllogical addresses and corresponding identifiers, stored in the addresslist table in the address list memory 21B. Therefore, in anumber-of-devices field 201 is set the number of logical addressescontained in the address list table in the address list memory 21B, andaddress fields 204 a to 204 n and identifier fields 205 a to 205 ncontain all the logical addresses and the corresponding identifiers inthe address list table. Values to be contained in these fields aredetermined based on the entire address list table in the address listmemory 21B, resulting from addition of an address in step S3 of FIG. 5and/or deletion of an address according to the process of FIG. 6(described later). With respect to the format of the list exchangemessage, different formats than those shown of FIGS. 10 and 11 may beused as long as the same operational effects are provided.

Each time the CEC controller 21A receives a Report Physical Addressmessage from a node device through the wired interface circuit 22, theCEC controller 21A repeats the process from steps S1 to S5 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a polling process for checking connectionsamong node devices, which is performed by the CEC controller 21A of thewireless node device 20. This process is performed to check whether ornot there actually exist node devices managed in the address list tablein the address list memory 21B and supposed to be connected by wire tothe wireless node device 20. In step S11 of FIG. 6, the CEC controller21A of the wireless node device 20 refers to the address list table inthe address list memory 21B, and extracts a logical address of a nodedevice whose flag value is 1 (i.e., which is connected by wire to thewireless node device 20). Then, in step S12, the CEC controller 21Atransmits a polling message destined for the extracted logical addressthrough the wired interface circuit 22, for checking the connection.Thereafter, in step S13, the CEC controller 21A determines whether ornot the wired interface circuit 22 has detected an ACK for the pollingmessage; if YES then the process proceeds to step S15, and if NO thenthe process proceeds to step S14.

If an ACK has not been received within a predetermined period of timeafter transmitting the polling message (NO in step S13), then the CECcontroller 21A deletes an item for the node device corresponding to thedestination logical address of the polling message, from the addresslist table in the address list memory 21B. On the other hand, if an ACKdetection notification has been inputted within the predetermined periodof time after transmitting the polling message (YES in step S13), thenin step S15, the CEC controller 21A determines whether or not pollinghas been completed for all logical addresses corresponding to nodedevices whose flag values are 1, among logical addresses in the addresslist memory 21B of the wireless node device 20 managed by the CECcontroller 21A. If NO in step S15, then the process returns to step S11to perform the same operation on a logical address corresponding toanother node device whose flag value is 1 (note that the wireless nodedevice 20 itself is excluded), contained in the address list table. Onthe other hand, if YES in step S15, then the process proceeds to stepS16 to transmit list exchange messages to the other wireless nodedevices 10 and 50 through the wireless transceiver circuit 24 in amanner similar to step S5 of FIG. 5, and ends the process. The pollingprocess of FIG. 6 is repeated with a predetermined period of time.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an address list table updating processperformed by the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20. Theother wireless node devices 10 and 50 in the wireless communicationsystem also perform the processes of FIGS. 5 and 6 in a manner similarto that of the wireless node device 20, and thus, the wireless nodedevice 10 stores, in the address list table in the address list memory11B, information on the wireless node device 10 itself and informationon the wired node device 60 connected by wire to the wireless nodedevice 10, and the wireless node device 50 stores, in the address listtable in the address list memory 51B, information on the wireless nodedevice 50 itself and information on a node device connected by wire tothe wireless node device 50 (none in the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4).The wireless node devices 10, 20, and 50 exchange the information in theaddress list tables with one another in step S5 of FIG. 5 and step S16of FIG. 6 and in the process of FIG. 7.

In step S21 of FIG. 7, once the CEC controller 21A of the wireless nodedevice 20 receives a list exchange message from the wireless node device10 or 50 through the wireless transceiver circuit 24, the CEC controller21A then in step S22 updates the address list table in the address listmemory 21B based on the received list exchange message, and ends theprocess. For example, in the case that the list exchange message has aformat shown in FIG. 10, then in step S22, the CEC controller 21Aupdates the address list table in the address list memory 21B such thatvalues of logical addresses and identifiers, corresponding to nodedevices whose A-bit fields 202 a to 202 n of the list exchange messageare “1”, are added to the address list table from the list exchangemessage, and further, the flag values of added items are set to “0”.Furthermore, the CEC controller 21A deletes logical addresses,identifiers, and flags, corresponding to node devices whose D-bit fields203 a to 203 n of the list exchange message are “1”, from the addresslist table in the address list memory 21B. Also in the case that thelist exchange message has the format shown in FIG. 11, the CECcontroller 21A updates the address list table in the address list memory21B based on contents of the list exchange message.

In this manner, each of the wireless node devices 10, 20, and 50 canstore, in its address list table, the logical addresses and theidentifiers for all the node devices in the wireless communicationsystem. In addition, each of the wireless node devices 10, 20, and 50can distinguish whether each node device is connected to the wirelessnode device by wire or over a wireless interval, by referring to theflag values in the address list table. Further, of course, the addresslist tables of the respective wired node devices 30, 40, 60, and 70 haveneither an identifier field nor a flag field.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a proxy responding process performed bythe CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20. The proxyresponse is a process performed when a destination logical address of apolling message for a logical address assignment, which was transmittedby one of the node devices in the wireless communication system, hasbeen already used by another node device connected over a wirelessinterval.

In step S31 of FIG. 8, once the CEC controller 21A of the wireless nodedevice 20 receives a polling message through the wired interface circuit22, the CEC controller 21A refers to the address list table in theaddress list memory 21B, and in step S32, determines whether or not adestination logical address of the received polling message has beenstored in the address list table; if YES then the process proceeds tostep S33, and if NO then the process ends. In step S33, the CECcontroller 21A further determines whether or not “1” is a flag value ofan item in the address list table, the item containing a logical addressthat matches the destination logical address of the received pollingmessage; if YES then the process ends, and if NO then the processproceeds to step S34. When YES in step S33, one of the node devicesconnected by wire to the wireless node device 20 will transmit an ACK,and thus, a proxy response by the wireless node device 20 is notrequired. On the other hand, when NO in step S33, the destinationlogical address contained in the polling message has been already usedby another node device connected over a wireless interval, and thus, onbehalf of the node device using the logical address, the CEC controller21A of the wireless node device 20 transmits in step S34 an ACK to anoriginating node device of the polling message through the wiredinterface circuit 22, and ends the process.

As described above, the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device20 determines whether or not to perform a proxy response, by referringto flag values in the address list table in the address list memory 21B.The address list table in the address list memory 21B is characterizedin storing information on the respective node devices in the wirelesscommunication system (identifiers, logical addresses, and flags),particularly storing a flag for distinguishing whether each node deviceis connected by wire through the wired interface circuit 22 or connectedover a wireless interval. The field for a node device connected by wirehas a format of “flag=1”; on the other hand, the field for a node deviceconnected over a wireless interval, obtained according to the process ofFIG. 2, is of “flag=0”. When the destination of a polling messagereceived by the wired interface circuit 22 is a node device with“flag=1”, the CEC controller 21A does not perform a proxy response, andwhen “flag=0”, the CEC controller 21A performs a proxy response. In thismanner, the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 of thepresent embodiment is characterized in that when receiving a pollingmessage from the wired interface circuit 22, the CEC controller 21Amakes decision on a destination logical address of the polling messagebased on the address list table in the address list memory 21B, and ifthe destination logical address of the polling message is a logicaladdress of a node device connected over a wireless interval, then theCEC controller 21A transmits an ACK for the received polling messagefrom the wired interface circuit 22. Hence, according to the wirelesscommunication system of the present embodiment, even when node devicesconforming to HDMI standard are connected over wireless intervals, it ispossible to assign a logical address to the respective node deviceswithout conflict, and therefore, control the node devices using CECmessages, thus improving user convenience.

An exemplary operation of the wireless communication system of FIG. 1will be described below with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14.

When the wireless node device 10 is powered on, the CEC controller 11Aof the wireless node device 10 adds a logical address and a flag value=1for the wireless node device 10 to the address list table in the addresslist memory 11B, obtains a wireless address for the wireless node device10 from the address management controller 11C, and adds the wirelessaddress to the address list table as an identifier. For example, whenthe wireless node device 10 is a TV, “0” is added to the address listtable as a logical address. Then, the wireless node device 10 receives apolling message from the wired node device 60 which is connected by wireto the wireless node device 10 through the HDMI cable 84. For example,when the wired node device 60 is a DVD player, “4” is set to adestination logical address of the polling message. At this time, sincethe address list table in the address list memory 11B of the wirelessnode device 10 does not contain the destination logical address “4”contained in the polling message, the wireless node device 10 does notreturn an ACK. Thus, the wired node device 60 determines to use thelogical address, contained in the destination logical address of thepolling message, as a logical address of the wired node device 60itself.

Subsequently, the wired node device 60 transmits a Report PhysicalAddress message to the wireless node device 10 (in step S41 of FIG. 12).When receiving the Report Physical Address message, the CEC controller11A of the wireless node device 10 adds an originating logical address(i.e., the logical address of the wired node device 60) to the addresslist table in the address list memory 11B, and sets a flag of an itemfor a node device corresponding to the logical address such that theflag is set to 1. At the same time, the CEC controller 11A of thewireless node device 10 obtains a wireless address for the wired nodedevice 60 from the address management controller 110, and adds thewireless address to the address list table as an identifier.

Thereafter, the wireless node device 10 starts wireless communicationwith the wireless node device 20 (in step S42 of FIG. 12). Afterestablishing a wireless connection between the wireless node devices 10and 20, the wireless node device 10 transmits a list exchange message tothe wireless node device 20. The list exchange message (See FIG. 10)contains the logical address and the associated identifiers of thewireless node device 10 and the wired node device 60, and 1 is set ineach corresponding A-bit.

When receiving the list exchange message, the CEC controller 21A of thewireless node device 20 adds the logical addresses and identifierscontained in the list exchange message to the address list table in theaddress list memory 21B, because the A-bits corresponding to therespective logical addresses and identifiers are set to 1. Thereafter,the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 determines alogical address of the wireless node device 20 itself. When determiningthe logical address, the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device20 uses a logical address, which is not contained in the address listtable in the address list memory 21B, as the logical address of thewireless node device 20 itself. After the CEC controller 21A of thewireless node device 20 determines the logical address of the wirelessnode device 20 itself, the CEC controller 21A adds the logical addressto the address list table in the address list memory 21B. The CECcontroller 21A further sets a flag corresponding to the added logicaladdress such that the flag is set to 1, and further, obtains a wirelessaddress for the wireless node device 20 from the address managementcontroller 110 of the wireless node device 10, and adds the wirelessaddress to the address list table in the address list memory 21B as anidentifier. Thereafter, the CEC controller 21A of the wireless nodedevice 20 transmits, to the wireless node device 10, a list exchangemessage containing the logical address and identifier of the wirelessnode device 20 and in which the corresponding A-bit is set to 1. Whenthe CEC controller 11A of the wireless node device 10 receives the listexchange message from the wireless node device 20, since 1 is set in theA-bit, the CEC controller 11A adds the logical address and theassociated identifier of the wireless node device 20, contained in thelist exchange message, to the address list table in the address listmemory 11B, and sets a corresponding flag value to 0.

Then, the wireless node device 20 receives a polling message from thewired node device 30 which is connected by wire to the wireless nodedevice 20 through the HDMI cable 81. When a destination logical addresscontained in the polling message is different from any of the logicaladdresses of the wireless node devices 10 and 20 and the wired nodedevice 60, the wireless node device 20 does not return an ACK. Thus, thewired node device 30 determines to use the logical address, contained inthe destination logical address of the polling message transmitted tothe wireless node device 20, as an address of the wired node device 30itself.

Thereafter, the wireless node device 20 receives a Report PhysicalAddress message from the wired node device 30 connected by wire (in stepS43 of FIG. 13). When receiving the Report Physical Address message, theCEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 adds an originatinglogical address (i.e., the logical address of the wired node device 30)to the address list table in the address list memory 21B. The CECcontroller 21A further sets a flag corresponding to the added logicaladdress such that the flag is set to 1, and obtains a wireless addressfor the wireless node device 30 from the address management controller11C of the wireless node device 10, and adds the wireless address to theaddress list table in the address list memory 2113 as an identifier.Thus, the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 transmits,to the wireless node device 10, a list exchange message containing thelogical address and the associated identifier of the wired node device30 and in which the corresponding A-bit is set to 1 (in step S44 of FIG.13). When the CEC controller 11A of the wireless node device 10 receivesthe list exchange message from the wireless node device 20, since theA-bit is set to 1, the CEC controller 11A adds the logical address andthe associated identifier of the wired node device 30, contained in thelist exchange message, to the address list table in the address listmemory 11B, and sets a corresponding flag value to 0. Subsequently, thewireless node device 20 performs the same operations with the wired nodedevices 40 and 70 which are connected by wire to the wireless nodedevice 20, adds information on the wired node devices 40 and 70 to theaddress list table in the address list memory 21B, and transmits a listexchange message to the wireless node device 10.

Thereafter, the wireless node device 10 starts wireless communicationwith the wireless node device 50. After establishing a wirelessconnection, the wireless node device 10 transmits a list exchangemessage to the wireless node device 50 (in step S45 of FIG. 13). Thelist exchange message contains the logical addresses and the associatedidentifiers of the wireless node devices 10 and 20 and the wired nodedevices 30, 40, 60, and 70, and 1 is set in each corresponding A-bit.

When the wireless node device 50 receives the list exchange message,since the A-bits corresponding to the respective logical addresses areset to 1, the wireless node device 50 adds the logical addresses and theassociated identifiers, contained in the list exchange message, to theaddress list table in the address list memory 51B, and setscorresponding flag values to 0. Thereafter, the CEC controller 51A ofthe wireless node device 50 determines a logical address of the wirelessnode device 50 itself. When determining the logical address, the CECcontroller 21A of the wireless node device 20 uses a logical address,which is not contained in the address list table in the address listmemory 51B, as the logical address of the wireless node device 50itself. After the CEC controller 51A of the wireless node device 50determines the logical address of the wireless node device 50 itself,the CEC controller 51A adds the logical address to the address listtable in the address list memory 51B. The CEC controller 51A furthersets a flag corresponding to the added logical address such that theflag is set to 1, and obtains a wireless address for the wireless nodedevice 50 from the address management controller 11C of the wirelessnode device 10, and adds the wireless address to the address list tablein the address list memory 51B as an identifier. Thereafter, thewireless node device 50 transmits, to the wireless node device 10, alist exchange message containing the logical address and identifier ofthe wireless node device 50 and in which the corresponding A-bit is setto 1. When the CEC controller 11A of the wireless node device 10receives the list exchange message from the wireless node device 50,since 1 is set in the A-bit, the CEC controller 11A adds the logicaladdress and the associated identifier of the wireless node device 50,contained in the list exchange message, to the address list table in theaddress list memory 11B, and sets a corresponding flag value to 0. Thewireless node device 50 also transmits the list exchange message to thewireless node device 20, as well as transmitting to the wireless nodedevice 10. The list exchange message may be directly transmitted fromthe wireless node device 50 to the wireless node device 20, or may betransmitted to the wireless node device 20 by the wireless node device10.

Each of the wireless node devices 10 and 20 periodically outputs pollingmessages destined for logical addresses of node devices with a flagvalue=1 in its own address list table (the wireless node devices 10 and20 themselves are excluded) (See FIG. 6). Specifically, the wirelessnode device 10 outputs polling messages to the wired node device 60 witha flag value=1 in the address list table in the address list memory 11B,and the wireless node device 20 outputs polling messages to the wirednode devices 30, 40, and 70 with a flag value=1 in the address listtable in the address list memory 21B.

Here, as an example, discuss the case in which the wired node device 30is disconnected from the wireless node device 20. When the wireless nodedevice 20 outputs a polling message to the wired node device 30, no ACKis returned because the wired node device 30 is not present (in step S46of FIG. 14). Thus, the wireless node device 20 determines that the wirednode device 30 has been disconnected, and therefore, deletes the logicaladdress, identifier, and flag corresponding to the wired node device 30from the address list table in the address list memory 21B. Thereafter,the wireless node device 20 transmits, to the wireless node device 10, alist exchange message containing the logical address and identifier ofthe wired node device 30 and in which the corresponding D-bit is set to1 (in step S47 of FIG. 14).

When the CEC controller 11A of the wireless node device 10 receives thelist exchange message, since the D-bit is set to 1, the CEC controller11A deletes an item (an identifier, a logical address, and a flag) forthe node device corresponding to the logical address and identifiercontained in the list exchange message, from the address list table inthe address list memory 11B. The wireless node device 20 also transmitsthe list exchange message to the wireless node device 50, as well astransmitting to the wireless node device 10. Thus, an item (anidentifier, a logical address, and a flag) for the node devicecorresponding to the logical address and identifier contained in thelist exchange message are similarly deleted from the address list tablein the address list memory 51B of the wireless node device 50. The listexchange message may be directly transmitted from the wireless nodedevice 20 to the wireless node device 50, or may be transmitted to thewireless node device 50 by the wireless node device 10 (in step S48 ofFIG. 14).

In addition, the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device 20 canalso manage physical addresses of the respective node devices in thewireless communication system, and thus, determine that when detectingthat the wired node device 30 has been disconnected, the wired nodedevice 70 which is connected in a lower layer than the wired node device30 has also been disconnected.

In addition, it is possible to determine that when any ACK is notreturned for polling messages transmitted a plurality of times, a devicehas been disconnected. Further, the wireless node devices 10, 20, and 50may periodically and sequentially output polling messages to all logicaladdresses.

Second Preferred Embodiment

A second preferred embodiment according to the present invention will bedescribed below. The present embodiment is characterized in that, inaddition to the configuration in the first preferred embodiment, a CECcontroller 21A of a wireless node device 20 detects disconnection ofanother node device which has been connected by wire to the wirelessnode device 20, based on an HDMI 5V signal detected by a wired interfacecircuit 22. An address list table in an address list memory 21B furthercontains a physical address field, and a logical address is deleted fromthe address list table based on a 5V signal and a physical address.Explanations on the same features as those of the first preferredembodiment are omitted.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a node device disconnection detectingprocess performed by the CEC controller 21A of the wireless node device20 of FIG. 3, according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. In step S51 of FIG. 15, the CEC controller 21A of thewireless node device 20 detects that an input of a 5V signal at thewired interface circuit 22 from one of node devices connected by wire(Source device) has been stopped. Then, in step S52, the CEC controller21A deletes from the address list table in the address list memory 21B,an identifier, a logical address, and a flag that are associated with aphysical address assigned to a node device connected to an input port ofthe wired interface circuit 22, to which port the input of the 5V signalhas been stopped, as well as the CEC controller 21A deletes the physicaladdress. Similarly, the CEC controller 21A deletes from the address listtable in the address list memory 21B, identifiers, logical addresses,and flags that are associated with physical addresses in lower layersthan the physical address assigned to the node device connected to theinput port, to which the input of the 5V signal has been stopped, aswell as the CEC controller 21A deletes the physical address. Then, instep S53, the CEC controller 21A transmits a list exchange message,which reflects a state of the address list table after deletion, toother wireless node devices 10 and 50 through a wireless transceivercircuit 24.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an exemplary format of the address listtable stored in the address list memory 21B of the wireless node device20 of FIG. 3, according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. Referring to FIG. 16, an identifier field 101, alogical address field 102, and a flag field 103 are the same as those ofFIG. 9, and a physical address 104 is an address assigned according toconditions in which a node device is connected.

In the second preferred embodiment, the process of FIG. 5 is modifiedsuch that a physical address contained in a Report Physical Addressmessage received in step S1 is further added, in step S3, to the addresslist table in the address list memory 21B.

Modified Preferred Embodiments

The wireless communication system of the preferred embodiments accordingto the present invention is not limited to be configured as shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, and may be further provided with other wired node devicesand/or wireless node devices. For example, other Source devices may befurther connected to the wired interfaces of the wireless node devices10 and 20, the wired node device 30, etc., and other Source devices maybe further connected through the wireless interfaces.

The wireless node devices 10, 20, and 50 may be configured without thevideo and audio processing circuits 13, 23, and 53, but configured aswireless adapter devices to be connected to existing prior-art wirednode devices.

In addition, an address managing process should be performed by any oneof a plurality of wireless node devices in a wireless communicationsystem. Therefore, one of the wireless node devices 20 and 50, insteadof the wireless node device 10, may include an address managementcontroller. Alternatively, each of the wireless node devices 10, 20, and50 may include an address management controller, and one of the wirelessnode devices 10, 20, and 50 may perform an address managing process.

Although exemplary message format and table format are shown in theabove-described embodiments, other formats may be used as long as theformat provides the same operational effects.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The logical address assignment method and wireless communication deviceaccording to the present invention are useful as a wirelesscommunication device for transmitting videos over the air among aplurality of devices, etc.

1. A unique identifier assignment method for use in a wirelesscommunication system that includes a plurality of node devices includingat least two wireless communication devices and each transmitting andreceiving messages, each of the at least two wireless communicationdevices comprising a wired interface and a wireless interface, theunique identifier assignment method including a step of: by one of theat least two wireless communication devices, determining a destinationunique identifier of a polling message received through the wiredinterface based on a predetermined condition when the polling message isreceived through the wired interface, and transmitting an acknowledgesignal for the received polling message through the wired interface inthe case that the destination unique identifier of the polling messageis a unique identifier of a node device connected through the wirelessinterface.
 2. The unique identifier assignment method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein each of the at least two wireless communication devicesfurther comprises a unique identifier list memory for storing the uniqueidentifiers, and wherein the unique identifier assignment method furtherincludes a step of: by each of the wireless communication devices,storing in the unique identifier list memory, unique identifiers of nodedevices connected through the wired interface and unique identifiers ofnode devices connected through the wireless interface; wherein thepredetermined condition is that the destination unique identifier of apolling message received through the wired interface is stored in theunique identifier list memory.
 3. The unique identifier assignmentmethod as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of storing the uniqueidentifiers includes steps of, by one of the at least two wirelesscommunication devices: adding a unique identifier of a node device newlyconnected to the wired interface, to the unique identifier list memory;checking periodically connections of the node devices which areconnected to the one wireless communication device through the wiredinterface and whose unique identifiers are stored in the uniqueidentifier list memory; and deleting a unique identifier of a nodedevice from the unique identifier list memory, where said node device isdetermined to be disconnected from the one wireless communicationdevice, as a result of checking the connections.
 4. The uniqueidentifier assignment method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step ofchecking periodically the connections includes checking the connectionsby polling messages.
 5. The unique identifier assignment method asclaimed in claim 2, wherein each of the unique identifier list memoryfurther stores flags each indicating whether or not each of the nodedevices corresponding to the unique identifiers stored in the uniqueidentifier list memory is connected through the wired interface to thewireless communication device comprising the unique identifier listmemory.
 6. The unique identifier assignment method as claimed in claim5, wherein each of the unique identifier list memory further containsphysical addresses of the node devices corresponding to the uniqueidentifiers stored in the unique identifier list memory.
 7. The uniqueidentifier assignment method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step ofstoring the unique identifiers includes steps of, by one of the at leasttwo wireless communication devices: referring to the physical addressesin the unique identifier list memory when a node device connectedthrough the wired interface has been disconnected, and determining thata lower node device connected in a lower layer than that of thedisconnected node device has also been disconnected in the case thatthere is the lower node device; and deleting from the unique identifierlist memory, the unique identifier of each of the node devices which isdetermined to be disconnected from the one wireless communicationdevice.
 8. The unique identifier assignment method as claimed in claim2, wherein the wireless communication system further includes an addressmanagement controller for managing wireless addresses for the respectivenode devices, and wherein the step of storing the unique identifiersincludes a step of obtaining wireless addresses from the addressmanagement controller, where each of the wireless addresses is for eachof the node devices connected to the wireless communication devicethrough the wired interface, and storing each of the wireless addressesin the unique identifier list memory in association with the uniqueidentifier of the corresponding node device.
 9. The unique identifierassignment method as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the wiredinterfaces includes a voltage signal line, and wherein the step ofstoring the unique identifiers includes steps of, by one of the at leasttwo wireless communication devices: determining whether or not a nodedevice has been disconnected from the one wireless communication devicebased on a voltage value of the voltage signal line, where said nodedevice is connected to the one wireless communication device through thewired interface and whose unique identifier is stored in the uniqueidentifier list memory; and deleting from the unique identifier listmemory, the unique identifier of the node device determined to bedisconnected from the one wireless communication device.
 10. The uniqueidentifier assignment method as claimed in claim 2, further including astep of: by one of the at least two wireless communication devices,receiving a specific message, and adding an originating uniqueidentifier contained in the received message to the unique identifierlist memory of the one wireless communication device.
 11. The uniqueidentifier assignment method as claimed in claim 10, wherein thespecific message is a Report Physical Address message.
 12. The uniqueidentifier assignment method as claimed in claim 11, further including astep of: by one of the at least two wireless communication devices,receiving the Report Physical Address message, and adding an originatingunique identifier and a physical address which are contained in thereceived message, to the unique identifier list memory of the onewireless communication device, such that the originating uniqueidentifier and the physical address are associated with each other. 13.The unique identifier assignment method as claimed in claim 2, furtherincluding steps of, by one of the at least two wireless communicationdevices: transmitting a list exchange message to the other wirelesscommunication device through the wireless interface when the contentsstored in the unique identifier list memory are changed, where said listexchange message indicates changes in the unique identifier list memory;and adding or deleting a unique identifier of a node device connectedthrough the wireless interface according to a list exchange messageindicating changes in unique identifier list memory of the otherwireless communication device, when the list exchange message indicatingthe changes is received from the other wireless communication device.14. The unique identifier assignment method as claimed in claim 13,wherein the list exchange message contains at least a portion of thecontents of the unique identifier list memory.
 15. The unique identifierassignment method as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the wirelesscommunication devices transmits the list exchange message each time theunique identifier list memory of the wireless communication device ischanged.
 16. The unique identifier assignment method as claimed in claim14, wherein the list exchange message contains at least the uniqueidentifier that is newly added to or deleted from the unique identifierlist memory, and a bit indicating the addition or deletion of the uniqueidentifier.
 17. The unique identifier assignment method as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the list exchange message contains information on allthe node devices stored in the unique identifier list memory.
 18. Theunique identifier assignment method as claimed in claim 2, furtherincluding a step of selecting a unique identifier of a wirelesscommunication device itself from among unique identifiers not present inthe unique identifier list memory of the wireless communication device.19. A wireless communication device for assigning unique identifiers foruse in a wireless communication system that includes a plurality of nodedevices including at least two wireless communication devices and eachtransmitting and receiving messages, wherein each of the wirelesscommunication devices comprises: a wired interface; a wirelessinterface; a unique identifier list memory for storing uniqueidentifiers of node devices connected through the wired interface andunique identifiers of node devices connected through the wirelessinterface; and a controller for controlling transmission and receptionthrough the wired interface and the wireless interface based on contentsof the unique identifier list memory, wherein, when receiving a pollingmessage from the wired interface, the controller determines adestination unique identifier of the polling message based on contentsof the unique identifier list memory, and transmits an acknowledgesignal for the received polling message through the wired interface inthe case that the destination unique identifier of the polling messageis a unique identifier of a node device connected through the wirelessinterface.
 20. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim 19,wherein the controller: adds a unique identifier of a node device newlyconnected to the wired interface, to the unique identifier list memory;checks periodically connections of the node devices which are connectedto the wireless communication device through the wired interface andwhose unique identifiers are stored in the unique identifier listmemory; and deletes a unique identifier of a node device from the uniqueidentifier list memory, where said node device is determined to bedisconnected from the wireless communication device, as a result ofchecking the connections.
 21. The wireless communication device asclaimed in claim 20, wherein checking periodically the connectionsincludes checking the connections by polling messages.
 22. The wirelesscommunication device as claimed in claim 19, wherein each of the uniqueidentifier list memory further stores flags each indicating whether ornot each of the node devices corresponding to the unique identifiersstored in the unique identifier list memory is connected through thewired interface to the wireless communication device comprising theunique identifier list memory.
 23. The wireless communication device asclaimed in claim 22, wherein each of the unique identifier list memoryfurther contains physical addresses of the node devices corresponding tothe unique identifiers stored in the unique identifier list memory. 24.The wireless communication device as claimed in claim 23, wherein thecontroller: refers to the physical addresses in the unique identifierlist memory when a node device connected through the wired interface hasbeen disconnected, and determines that a lower node device connected ina lower layer than that of the disconnected node device has also beendisconnected in the case that there is the lower node device; anddeletes from the unique identifier list memory, the unique identifier ofeach of the node devices which is determined to be disconnected from thewireless communication device.
 25. The wireless communication device asclaimed in claim 19, wherein the wireless communication system furtherincludes an address management controller for managing wirelessaddresses for the respective node devices, and wherein the controllerobtains wireless addresses from the address management controller, whereeach of the wireless addresses is for each of the node devices connectedto the wireless communication device through the wired interface, andstores each of the wireless addresses in the unique identifier listmemory in association with the unique identifier of the correspondingnode device.
 26. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim19, wherein the wired interface includes a voltage signal line, andwherein the controller: determines whether or not a node device has beendisconnected from the wireless communication device based on a voltagevalue of the voltage signal line, where said node device is connected tothe wireless communication device through the wired interface and whoseunique identifier is stored in the unique identifier list memory; anddeletes from the unique identifier list memory, the unique identifier ofthe node device determined to be disconnected from the wirelesscommunication device.
 27. The wireless communication device as claimedin claim 19, when the wireless communication device receives a specificmessage, the controller adds an originating unique identifier containedin the received message to the unique identifier list memory.
 28. Thewireless communication device as claimed in claim 27, wherein thespecific message is a Report Physical Address message.
 29. The wirelesscommunication device as claimed in claim 28, wherein when the wirelesscommunication device receives the Report Physical Address message, thecontroller adds an originating unique identifier and a physical addresswhich are contained in the received message, to the unique identifierlist memory, such that the originating unique identifier and thephysical address are associated with each other.
 30. The wirelesscommunication device as claimed in claim 19, wherein in one of the atleast two wireless communication devices: when the contents stored inthe unique identifier list memory are changed, the controller transmitsa list exchange message to the other wireless communication devicethrough the wireless interface, the list exchange message indicatingchanges in the unique identifier list memory; and when a list exchangemessage indicating changes in unique identifier list memory of the otherwireless communication device is received from the other wirelesscommunication device, the controller adds or deletes a unique identifierof a node device connected through the wireless interface according tothe changes indicated in the received list exchange message.
 31. Thewireless communication device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the listexchange message contains at least a portion of the contents of theunique identifier list memory.
 32. The wireless communication device asclaimed in claim 31, wherein the wireless communication device transmitsthe list exchange message each time the unique identifier list memory ischanged.
 33. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim 31,wherein the list exchange message contains at least the uniqueidentifier that is newly added to or deleted from the unique identifierlist memory, and a bit indicating the addition or deletion of the uniqueidentifier.
 34. The wireless communication device as claimed in claim31, wherein the list exchange message contains information on all thenode devices stored in the unique identifier list memory.
 35. Thewireless communication device as claimed in claim 19, wherein thecontroller selects a unique identifier of the wireless communicationdevice itself from among unique identifiers not present in the uniqueidentifier list memory.